The Many Characters of Toy Story & The Iconic Voices Behind Them

The Toy Story series has introduced us to many quirky characters all wonderfully fleshed out and with their own unique personalities. A big part of this is the stacked voice acting cast that has brought the collection of characters to life with their own spin on how these characters should act and sound.

With such a vast array of talent in these Pixar films, it’s easy to miss a few of the names who feature in the films so here we look at some of the people who have lent their voices to the toys we have come to know and love.

Woody

The leader of the gang of toys, Woody is a pull-string cowboy who is constantly getting himself into scrapes and others out of them. An ever-present in all of the films, he often takes on the protagonist role, so getting the right person to voice him was always a key concern.

The iconic and Oscar winning actor Tom Hanks was always a frontrunner for the role given his expressive voice and his “ability to take emotions and make them appealing. Even if the character, like the one in A League of Their Own, is down-and-out and despicable,” according to original film’s writer and director John Lasseter. Hanks is extremely well known for his film work worldwide, appearing in pictures such as Forest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, Philadelphia and many others.

Interestingly though, Tom Hanks doesn’t voice Woody for all Toy Story media, with his brother Jim Hanks often taking over the reins for merchandise, theme parks, and video games, when Tom is too busy to get to a recording booth.

Buzz Lightyear

A prominent character throughout the series, Buzz Lightyear is a space ranger toy who starts out as a delusional action toy convinced that he’s actually on a space mission. It was comic actor Tim Allen that brought Buzz’s swaggering confidence to the silver screen with his distinctive comedic timing. Best known for his work on the TV show Home Improvement, he has also appeared in many films such as Galaxy Quest and The Santa Clause franchise.

While Allen uses his vocal talents on all of the mainline films, others have picked up the mantle of Buzz in spin-off media. For the more serious action hero role of Buzz in the Lightyear film (the film on which the Buzz action figure is supposed to be inspired), Chris Evans of Captain America fame stepped in to lend his tones.

The 2D animated spin-off TV series also had another voice actor as Patrick Warburton, best known for voicing Kronk in Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove, and Joe Swanson in Family Guy, also tried his hand at becoming the space ranger. Pat Fraley and Mike MacRae have also voiced Buzz in videogames and other media.

Andy

The owner of the toys in the first three films, Andy appears throughout the series as he grows up from a child to a university student. John Morris got the role when he attended an audition, bringing a collection of Marvel X-Men toys along and giving a voice to each one as a demonstration of his capabilities.

Morris also has cult status for his voice work on the character Pepper Roni from the LEGO Island videogame, and Santa Boy in The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Sid

The main antagonist of the first film, who also briefly appears in the third, Sid is someone who takes apart toys and creates Frankenstein’s monsters of his own by swapping limbs and adding attachments.

Voiced by Erik Thomas von Detten, the actor came to prominence as Nicholas Alamain on the US daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives. He also voiced schoolyard bully Erwin Lawson in Recess, Flynt in Tarzan, and appeared in The Princess Diaries as Josh Bryant.

Jessie

Joining the gang in Toy Story 2, Jessie is a cowgirl toy who is joined by her faithful horse companion Bullseye. Initially sceptical of being played with again after being abandoned by her original owner, Jessie finds a new life with Andy’s toys.

Voiced by Joan Cusack, the actress has an Emmy Award to her name and has appeared in such films as Addams Family Values, High Fidelity, and School of Rock.

Lotso Hugging Bear

The villainous Lotso appears in Toy Story 3, a strawberry scented teddy bear who controls the Sunnyside daycare with an iron paw. After being abandoned by his owner, he doesn’t trust children and tries to prevent Woody and co getting back to Andy.

Voiced by Ned Beatty, the actor had a career that spanned five decades appearing in films such as All the President’s Men, and Superman. He also voiced Tortoise John in Rango.

Bonnie

Bonnie is the young girl who Andy donates his toys to when moving away and so she takes ownership of them at the end of Toy Story 3. Three voice actors have voiced her since appearing in the series with Emily Hahn being the primary voice in Toy Story 3, Toy Story Toons, and Toy Story That Time Forgot.

Madeline McGraw took on the role offer Toy Story 4, and Scarlett Spears for Toy Story 5. Largely down to the need to change Bonnie’s voice because of her age in the films, each of these actors voices Bonnie at a different time in her life.

Trixie

One of Bonnie’s pre-existing toys, Trixie is a blue dinosaur toy who is one of Bonnie’s favourites and regularly appears in playtime activities.

Played by Kristen Schaal, the comic actor is known for her distinctive, high-pitched voice and she regularly does voice work, starring as Louise Belcher in Bob’s Burgers, Mabel Pines in Gravity Falls, and Shannon in Despicable Me 2.

Forky

Forky joins the gang in Toy Story 4 when he is created by Bonnie in an arts and crafts session. Made from a plastic spoon and other craft materials, he suffers from an existential crisis as he just sees himself as rubbish.

Played by Tony Hale, the actor has appeared in films like Clifford the Big Red Dog, Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Road Chip, and Hocus Pocus 2. He’s also provided voices for The Angry Birds Movie, Inside Out 2, and The Tale of Despereaux.

Duke Caboom

An awesome action toy with a stunt bike, Duke Caboom makes an appearance in Toy Story 4 and is voiced by the iconic Keanu Reeves.

Whilst Reeves is best known for his on-screen roles as Neo in The Matrix films, and the title character in John Wick, he also voices Shadow the Hedgehog in the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film and Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077 videogame series.

Rex

Another dino toy, Rex has been part of Andy’s toys since the first film and is a nervous character despite his ferocious appearance as a green Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Voiced by Wallace Shawn, he is known for playing Vizzini in The Princess Bride, Mr. Hall in Clueless and Dr. John Sturgis in Young Sheldon. His voice acting credits include The Regular Show, BoJack Horseman, and The Incredibles.

Slinky Dog

Slinky Dog is a slinky toy with the head and tail of a dachshund dog. In the first two films he was voiced by Jim Varney, a comedian best known for his roles as Ernest P. Worrell.

When Varney passed away, his friend and comedian Blake Clark took over the role after notably appearing as Chet Hunter on Boy Meets World, and Harry Turner on Home Improvement.

Bo Peep

Woody’s love interest, Bo Peep is a porcelain figure who belongs to Andy’s sister and has been consistently voice by Annie Potts since she appeared on our screens.

Potts is known for many great roles including starring in Ghostbusters films, but perhaps most recently for playing Connie Tucker in Young Sheldon, and George and Mandy’s First Marriage

Mr Potato Head

Played by the infamous insult comic Don Rickles, Mr. Potato Head is a dour character who can use his removable body parts to collect information for the other toys.

Although best known for his stand-up and roast work, Rickles had plenty of film credits to his name including Kelly’s Heroes, and Casino. Rickles passed away before recording could begin for Toy Story 4, but archival recordings were used for his lines. For Toy Story 5, impressionist Jeff Bergman took on the character.

Mrs Potato Head

The wife of Mr Potato head with the same abilities, the character is played by Estelle Harris, a comic actor known for exaggeratedly shrill voice. Her other voice work included Lula in Dave the Barbarian, Mama Lipsky in Kim Possible, Thelma in The Proud Family, Mrs. Turtle in Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse, and Audrey in Home on the Range.

With Harris passing in 2022, Ana Vocino, a voice actress largely known for videogame work on things like Psychonauts 2 and The Elder Scrolls Online, got the part for Toy Story 5.

Hamm

A piggy bank toy with a dry sense of humour, Hamm has an interesting story attached to his voice actor. Played by John Ratzenberger, best known for his roles as Cliff Calvin in Cheers and Major Bren Derlin in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, his voice is used in almost every Pixar film to date.

Seen as a good luck charm to the studio after he appeared in Toy Story, he voices P.T Flea in A Bug’s Life, Yeti in Monsters, Inc. and the sequel Monsters University, Fish School in Finding Nemo and Husband Crab Bill in the sequel Finding Dory, Underminer in The Incredibles and Incredibles 2, Mack in Cars, Mustafa in Ratatouille, John in WALL-E, Construction Foreman Tom in Up, Gordon in Brave, Brodi in Planes: Fire & Rescue, Earl in The Good Dinosaur, Fritz in Inside Out 1 and 2, Juan Ortodoncia in Coco, Construction worker Fenwick in Onward, and then makes a visual appearance in Soul.

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